Best places to see spring flowers

Here comes spring. The days are longer and the weather is warmer. Some of the world’s best travel destinations are hotspots for beautiful spring flowers. We’re here to show you where to go to see the most colorful blooms.

AMSTERDAM

Step into a Technicolor wonderland! Keukenhof Gardens, outside Amsterdam, is one of the world’s most spectacular flower gardens in April when the tulips are in bloom. Take a guided tour, or rent a bike to go exploring. Or if you really want to indulge, book one of Avalon Waterway’s Tulip Time river cruises. The Netherlands is tulip-crazy all spring long, and Budget Travel loves Amsterdam for museums filled with Van Goghs and Vermeers, its charming canals, and affordable lodging.

DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Sure, the name sounds bleak, but when winter rains water the California desert and the sun warms the land, wildflowers bloom in the spring. While not every year is categorized a “super-bloom” (a perfect storm of gentle rain, sun, and warm winds), it’s always a knockout, with Desert Gold, Evening Primrose, and Desert Dandelion putting on quite a show.

KAUAI, HAWAII

It’s always prime time for flowers in Hawaii, but spring is affordable “shoulder season” here and the Hawaiian island of Kauai has a special treat: The new McBryde Gardens, part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden network. You’ll see Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, and the Banana Shrub, which actually spells like a banana daiquiri!